Put parsley, thyme, onion, carrot, celery and chicken breasts in a medium saucepan. Cover with the broth and bring just to a boil. Lower heat to very low and cover. Poach chicken for 20 minutes or until firm to touch. Remove pan from heat, uncover, and cool chicken in the liquid for 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and reserve liquid. Bone and skin the chicken and cut the meat into 1-inch cubes. Discard the bones and skin.

Strain the broth and store, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for later use. Remove any fat from the surface of the broth before using.

Try to abide by the color rule: Have at least five colors of food in each box.

Food should be tightly packed inside a bento box. Use reusable muffin cups as dividers and fill gaps with foods like cherry tomatoes and grapes. This not only gets the portion right but also keeps food from moving around.

Generally a 600-milliliter bento will hold 600 calories if it is packed with about three parts carbohydrates, one part protein and two parts fruits and vegetables.

An easy way to keep bento packing simple is to keep three bins - one in the refrigerator with grapes, blueberries, single-serving cheeses and hard-boiled eggs; another in the freezer with leftovers frozen into reusable muffin cups such as frittatas, dumplings, rice balls and mini-hamburgers; and a third in the pantry with portioned-out nuts, crackers and puddings.

Anything perishable that will be kept at room temperature for more than two hours should be packed with ice. Frozen fruit or juice can serve as edible or drinkable ice packs.

Room temperature, moisture and protein are the three feeders of bacteria. Dry hot food on racks and pat dry with a paper towel to reduce moisture before packing in containers.

If time is an issue, make a week's worth of sandwiches over the weekend, put them in the freezer, and take one to work each day. They will thaw by lunchtime. Pack moist vegetables or condiments separately to keep bread from turning soggy.

Create a lunch pool with four people at work. Each person packs five lunches to share one day a week.

Repurpose plastic condiment cups for salad dressings and dips.

Invest in reusable lunch containers. There is a variety in different shapes, sizes, designs and materials: plastic, glass and stainless steel.